The Stolen Bride
by Road and Tyki
Summary: A vacationing family in England happened to be near Godric's Hollow and one inquisitive fox-boy took away a certain baby girl. His parents bought his fib and the family decided to adopt the little girl their son took to safety and she became their stepdaughter named Inori. With the Potter girl snatched and left grieving parents behind, would this act bite him in the ass later?
1. The Stolen Child

The Stolen Child

Minamino Shuichi, a.k.a Youko Kurama who possessed this currently six years old human vessel was here with his human host family for a tourist trip to England his mother somehow won in a lottery and now they were somewhere up Western England. But while his parents sleep peacefully, Kurama could feel the magic in the air. One particular house has a barrier around it. He knew they were in a village of magic users. He had his guard constantly up. He was paranoid.

His paranoia paid off when a cloaked person with a person that looked like a rat-man and they don't look good either.

So he caused some grass to 'shoot up' and impale them to death and a barrier over the house disappeared. He went to investigate the house after killing the pair he attacked. He saw a couple panicking about the invaded wards...he's the one who invaded. They went out of the house armed with...a stick? This gave him the opportunity to get inside and went upstairs as there's nobody down here but the adults. Upstairs is a baby girl with red hair and bright green eyes. He took a long look at the girl and he knew that this girl is his. He felt their souls resonate and link, meaning, this human child is his mate. He put her to sleep and hid her with concealing wards and fled.

He stole her and left via the window, not really caring about the consequences. All he cared about, is ensuring that his mate will always be near him.

xxx

The next morning...

'Shuichi, where did you get that baby?!' his father, Minamino Youhei gasped as he and his wife Shiori saw their son trying to spoonfeed milk to the baby.

'She was left on the doorstep of our cottage.' said Kurama, looking as innocent as possible. 'My room is near the window so I heard her and took her in.' the couple exchanged looks. 'Can we keep her? If they didn't want her, we would, right?'

'Er...we'll talk about it for ten minutes, OK sweetie?' Shiori smiled awkwardly at her son. 'What do you think of her?'

'...I want her.' said Kurama. 'I've been looking after her all night.' his parents' jaws dropped. 'And I'm calling her Inori.'

'EHHHHH?!' he decided so quick!

Yep, his human parents had a loooong talk regarding the 'poor, abandoned baby' their son got attached to...unaware that their son stole the baby girl because of what she is to him.

'You'll be mine no matter what.' Kurama purred over the giggling baby as he played with her. Three millennia of loneliness followed after losing his best friend to bamboo spears and he never found a true friend ever again nor did he find a mate in Makai...because apparently, his mate wasn't BORN yet and now here she is...someday when they mate, she will share his demonic lifespan that can put an end to his loneliness. She's a baby right now so she'll forget her original sires soon enough.


	2. The Stepbrother

The Stepbrother

Youko Kurama practically raised his young mate because his human parents were working. They commented on what a good brother he is, spoiled him silly and when they're at home, they're fawning over their 'lucky baby girl' for having such a 'sweet older brother'. If only they knew the truth, the redhead scoffed. This child he has is no sister...she's his future bride whom he'll spend the rest of his longevity with until they die. For youkai, in exchange for their longevity and long lives, finding love and a soul mate takes AGES wherein you'll have to deal with being lonely for a looooong time, until your destined one comes along. In Makai, friendship is as rare as a crying Koorime whose hearts are frozen, and said women only cry one tear during childbirth!

But his new life wasn't so bad. Since his birth, all he remembers is that he was alone. He hardly remembers his first mother who weaned him off milk and then left him to fend for himself. He didn't even meet his father. He had to spend much of his life in search of knowledge and soon became one of the most feared youkai due to his intelligence and wisdom. And he soon learned that since he was abandoned after getting weaned and never met his father, he knew he was conceived after a night of fling for sexual relief. Usually, mates stay together for life and have happy, ideal families. That and he spent much of his life alone. Which was why getting into a body that has loving parents, and growing up being loved and cared for was a foreign concept to him, even during the six years of his life with them.

But hey...it felt good. And he wanted it. Then there's this trip to England and he found his mate there. This was truly fate at work or maybe it's simply destiny and now it's time? But the mere idea that they were countries apart IRKED him and had he left her alone, she would mate with a man someday who WASN'T him and he won't have any of that crap. Inori is _his_, not to some man who probably wouldn't even understand what a soulmate bond is, and he waited for several millennia for her! Which was why he stole her from her family, and told his human host parents and soon Inori when she began suspecting where she came from, that she was abandoned on the doorstep of the cottage their family was staying at on a tourist trip, dressed in torn, baby clothes.

Inori was upset to learn that she was abandoned but the truth was, he stole her from her family out of his own selfishness. Foxes are selfish by nature after all. And things or people he wants, he wants them close. Besides, it's not like those humans would come looking. Since they were a family of magicians, they can think she's magically kidnapped and look for a scapegoat while looking for their daughter.

On their last day in England, he had stolen the magic newspaper called Daily Prophet and took it home, hid it and then started learning English in summer classes. After some work, he is able to finally read and understand the newspaper. Article? POTTER TRAGEDY! BETRAYED BY A FRIEND AND LOSING THEIR DAUGHTER!

His mate's real name was Lucille Estel Potter. And the name Lucille means 'little light' and Estel is 'star'. Nice name but he gave her, her name Inori, a name that meant 'Prayer'. It was what came to his parents' mind as well when he gave her that name. But he wrote it in kanji as 'advantage of mortal life'. However, with the two meanings, Inori writes it in hiragana and she keeps people guessing. And since he raised her, Inori adored him and he was there for her when she cried upon learning that she's abandoned and adopted when she was seven. Kurama knew that her real parents grieved for her loss and he admitted that he's definitely a bastard for stealing her but he waited for so long for her, that he justified it. He just wondered what to say if Inori and his mother finds out the nasty, cold truth.

He burned that newspaper he kept just so the truth is in ashes forever. He only kept it around to learn her true name anyway.

He learned how to love...and get hurt starting when he was ten years old and little Inori, five. Last year, their father died from a terrible accident that greatly upset their mother because he had been her whole life since high school and they started young in love and they had many dreams and plans together. While his mother and bride were grieving, Kurama knew he had to be the mature one to hold their family together and organized what he could before his mother regained her sense from shock and tearfully held a funeral for their father. Their mother tried her best afterwards to be strong for her family, and it helps that father had quite a lot of insurance money of 200 million yen due to his job so they won't be financially distressed for a while. He was trying to get some makeshift pots from the upper cabinets in the kitchen to put some soil in and plant new flowers with his powers to impress his little bride when the stool wobbled, and he fell backwards. His mother let out a cry. Normally, Kurama would have done a backflip to land properly but that was something no human child can do so he had no choice but to let himself fall. So what's a bruise or two? But his mother dove to catch him and keep him up...and she gasped in pain.

He soon learned why.

There were broken shards of a plate on the floor, and had he fallen on THAT, he'd be bleeding in his rear...and his mother willingly let herself get nasty cuts to save him without a blink of hesitation which greatly shocked and astonished him and he found himself asking 'why?' Since the wound was terrible, he was about to call for the hospital's ambulance that it required stitches, but Inori came in...

'Mama, what's that?' Inori asked their mother innocently as she had never seen a bleeding wound in her life before. Bruises and scrapes from playing yes, but never a bleeding wound.

'O-oh it's nothing! Just a little boo-boo, that's all.' said their mother quickly while looking quite pale and clammy from the pain.

'Oh, I see!' Inori chimed as she put her tiny hands forward and on their mother's arms, 'Boo-boo go away!' she chirped in a sing-song voice. Their mother and Kurama could not help but laugh weakly...but sheepish, weak amusement soon turned into astonishment when the wound started to close, and the blood vanished. 'Boo-boo gone now!' she cheered with blood still on her hands.

Two jaws dropped.

Kurama knew she's a witch, but still...to have such a healing ability at a young age was amazing.

Shiori stared incredulously at her stepdaughter who apparently, had no idea what she just did. Inori just did the same thing she did in a bid to stop her from crying from a scrape some weeks back...but this definitely did not happen in her case!

'Er Shu-chan? I think we need to talk...' their mother croaked out. 'Nori-chan, did you know what you just did?'

'Un! I made boo-boo really go away!' Inori beamed happily. 'It's really cool!'

'Er mother, I think we need to include Inori in the talk.' Kurama deadpanned. 'She clearly has some power...and imagine what the government will do if they get wind of this.' Shiori paled as scenes from movies about experimentation came to mind which will no doubt, be reality if they cannot keep Inori's secret. Looks like disciplining Inori comes next before she attends Grade One...and while Kurama disciplined her, their mother had heard of the famous go-to psychic named Genkai. She's famous in the occult world and many people go to her for paranormal help.

Shiori discussed sending Inori to Genkai for a year before she attends elementary. He too, will have to be held back a year to keep an eye on her and she won't be lonely in the province. Once there upon meeting the old woman with graying, pink hair...

'So this is Inori-chan, your daughter? Genkai asked Shiori who nodded. 'You mentioned she has healing powers...'

'Yes but Inori is still a child who can't tell fantasy from reality...and within the year, she has to know what will happen if people get wind she has powers.' the young mother shuddered. 'I don't want her taken from my family! Please train her! My son will stay with her as well so she won't be lonely.'

'You sure about that it's just your girl who needs it?' said Genkai wryly as Kurama stiffened and Shiori looked puzzled. 'Try as you may to suppress it, you're six decades too early to fool me, boy. But nice try.' she snorted as Shiori saw the expression on her son's face. It was of 'I caught you'.

'Honey?'

'...sorry mother, but...I also have my own.' Kurama sighed. Might as well. 'It's just controlling plants anyway, no harm done about that.' Shiori blinked before sighing. TWO of her children have powers. Yikes.

'Well, each person is unique and their power is related often times to what they do best.' said Genkai. 'Looks like I have two kids to work on. I'll be charging typical elementary school fees for these kids. I do have a house to keep running.'

And so...when their mother left...Genkai was all business-like. 'Now then, we'll start with you first.' said Genkai as she took out a pair of earplugs, and put them in Inori's ears that puzzled the children. 'You're an unusual one. You have youki, not reiki. Yet your body is human...care to explain?'

Kurama groaned. While he would stay here for his bride, the cat's out of the bag sooner than he'd thought.

When he told her his story, Genkai had no problems since he just wanted to live anyway. Although she was even more astonished that he was feeling guilty for having deceived his family for a decade, especially since they loved him. And his stepsister is still innocent, so this will be a bit harder...Genkai agreed on that one and she would have to think how to deal with a little innocent girl who has no idea of the world outside her house.

Yep, one heck of a problem, this one.


	3. The Stepsister

The Stepsister

Minamino Inori knew that she's no ordinary girl since she was a child.

She is originally from England, an abandoned, unwanted child, unwanted by her parents and lucky for her, her foster family cares. Her stepbrother even moreso. But there were times she wondered what it'll be like if she lived with her biological ones. Probably no good. She was abandoned after all. While that hurt every now and then, she has had assurance that her foster family truly loves her. And her brother...was different from her foster parents. The love he gives her felt different. It definitely did not feel familial at all.

She realized this as she grew older.

He is very possessive of her outside their house. He would glare at boys who'd want to befriend her and he only allows girls to come close during recess. And on dismissal times, he would be right outside her classroom door, glaring menacingly at who dares approach. Sometimes, she could hardly believe who's her 'real' brother. The smiling, gentle brother who was very kind to her or the brother who promised pain with his dark glares aimed at boys whom she knew has a crush on her. And she had never seen a boy her brother's age who could possess such expressions it was creepy.

'Hey, oniichan...' Inori asked her brother one day.

'Hm? Doushita?' Kurama asked her.

'Why are you glaring at the boys in my class? I don't think they did anything.' she said with a sweatdrop. 'But the way you look at them you look like you'd dump them in the lion's cage in the zoo...'

'Well, I don't want any boy near you but me.' said Kurama with a smile. 'I hate it.'

'Nande?' Yeah, why? She really wanted to know.

'...well, you're mine and I'm not sharing!' Kurama laughed cheerfully, thus it registered to Inori that he was joking.

'You're so silly! We live in the same house! Of course we'll be together!' Inori giggled as Kurama laughed too...while a dangerous glint shone in his eyes. 'You don't have to be so...what's that g-word again? Oh yeah, guarded! It's not like they can do anything.'

"Years from now they certainly will." Kurama thought darkly. And it irked him that two years from now, he'll graduate elementary, unable to watch her anymore. And in their Elementary School, Minamino Shuichi is known as the perfect, model student. Good looks, perfect grades, well-mannered and soft-spoken...and the teachers decided to add 'Sister Complex' on the list, considering just how could gentle, well-mannered Shuichi possess a frightening glare and stare at a being with the symbol of mars on their person as much as went near his sister or even looking at her and those stares and glares were what they felt SHOULD NOT BELONG ON A CHILD'S FACE. Yep, she only had female friends...and in recess, she spends time with her brother on the roof as he has their lunch and they eat together. Alone.

The teachers could almost feel sorry for her brother's middle school if he ever goes without her in it. And right now, her brother is in Grade Five and she, Grade One. Two more years to go...and when her brother DID graduate as Valedictorian...he paid a visit to her class the next day, dressed in a Gakuran with his malice out at full force that in the minds of the boys, they SWORE they saw a DEMON behind her brother as he delivered lunch to Inori that she forgot.

And he does it everyday.

At home...he was subtle, but he is definitely possessively clingy. His hand or arm always has to be close to her. There are times that when they're watching TV, he was hugging her from behind. And kisses on the cheeks, but by the time she became ten years old...are now on the lips as chaste kisses when their mother wasn't looking. Around this time, she is no longer the naive and innocent little girl she used to be.

Sometimes she wondered about her stepbrother...and much worse, she could never tell their mother because Inori liked their family the way it is. Without complications. Her brother is just being very affectionate, that's all. And she keeps trying to tell herself that. As well as convince herself. But even she finds herself liking her brother's unusual affections that he shows on her. She wondered if they were weird or not but that was how she felt. She felt safe and wanted...and her traitorous mind made her feel she wished he does more. And what exactly is 'more'?

But he's her brother...stepbrother but still, older brother. There's just...no way.

She wondered who else outside their home noticed that her brother is weird. Their mother didn't notice a thing and to think she's her brother's blood mother...

Said blood mother was wondering who in her family has a special talent since her son got one. She was happy that their powers weren't scary and that, they're useful and practical. Her brother who could grow instant plants and manipulate their growth and regression...which was all she knew but the siblings...and Genkai never told her that Kurama practically embodied the description of a thorny rose...he could make lethal weapons out of plants. An innocent garden could become a hell of blades and a red rose becomes a whip that can even cut rock and steel.

Inori herself wasn't so safe either. Yes, she can heal but she could do loads more. She was the kind who could do whatever she wanted on a whim except break nature's most sacred of laws, so she was told to read books about the occult and fantasy books...because she could do what ordinary humans wished they could and bring their powers to life. She mostly studied healing first and foremost though, just to save on expensive hospital fees. She also comes back every holiday except for family holidays to learn how to sense monsters and fight, if they ever want to pick one. But other than that, she wants a peaceful life, thank you.

At her current self, she, like her brother, is 'cursed'. They wore Cursed Training Shackles that if they don't regulate their power like they would blood, they'll be 'imprisoned' so to be free, they have to make their power flow around their bodies to make control easier and their power reserves increase in time the longer they spend energy in wearing it. In a few years, she'll tell them the password to remove the shackles, but not now. Not until they wear it for a few years. Five at minimum, ten at their best.

And they have it for almost five years now...

'Hey niisan...' Inori mused thoughtfully. 'It's almost five years now since, you know, we've been cuffed...' said Inori as she manifested her shackles. 'How do you feel after three years with it on?'

'At first, it was tough...like I nearly lost all my powers.' said Kurama and he shuddered at the thought. 'But after a year, I have easier control over my powers and manipulating plants was easier. Maybe if we take off these shackles someday, our powers will increase by a factor of three, five or ten I have no idea but I'm hoping for ten, but that totally depends on our potential. Let's spar in the backyard.' he suggested with a smile.

'Un!' and they went out.

Much to Shiori's dismay, their idea of 'play' is 'play-fights'. Not video games, the playground or board games. If the neighbors saw, she fibs that they're taking self-defense classes. But its an activity both her children enjoy because...well...Inori loses in EVERY typical game to her much-smarter and wiser brother to the girl's dismay.

Well, they do say the older, the wiser...


	4. The Stepmother

The Stepmother

Minamino Shiori nee Tamakusa was a truly blessed woman in life...starting in highschool when she met her sweetheart soon-to-be husband Youhei.

Youhei was her senpai while she was a freshman at the time. She worked as a member of the Newspaper Club and he was an athlete...a soccer player. They met during a job interview since their school won the District Tournaments at the time. But it was another girl who did the interview because the two were frozen in a love-at-first-sight moment and poor Shiori was the butt of teasing in the next few weeks. Same for Youhei who was being teased by his teammates.

After three months of being shy, the pair finally 'grew a pair' according to their friends and approached each other. They started off as friends...and by second semester, they started dating. But after a year, Youhei graduated High School and went into College, but that didn't stop him from seeing her. They frequently saw each other to the point that their parents knew that it's a sealed deal after three years and arranged the pair who couldn't be happier, much to collective amusements. After Shiori graduated College and pursued a career, they married and worked at same schedules so they could spend time together at home after going home.

When she was 24, she gave birth to her son Shuichi. But the couple was baffled about their son.

He never cried not even once in his birth. He was so quiet and his eyes seemed to hold an air of quick understanding and comprehension. So quiet that the couple knew that they had to check every now and then whether he's hungry or soiled his diapers. When they work, he goes to either his maternal or paternal grandparents for babysitting. Even they were just as baffled about their son.

They practically had to _schedule_ caring for him. Literally because little Shuichi never cried nor fussed if things go wrong. And two things that go wrong are if he's hungry or needed a nappy change. And unlike parents who had to deal with sleepless nights, the family could sleep well! But their son's out-of-baby-character behavior worried them nonetheless. He did not respond to anybody's attempt of playing with him. No laughing nor giggling at their making faces or peek-a-boos. Then after six months, he was stubbornly forcing himself to walk with a look of annoyance and frustration that at first, his attempts were feeble and not perfect. And he settled for watching the adults.

A year later, his paternal grandfather freaked out because little Shuichi plugged the TV, remote in his hands and managed the TV by HIMSELF, changing the channel to cartoons and he watched Lupin III.

They had to _see_ to _believe _because no baby had ever done what he did. And the only show he was interested in was Lupin III or any comedy-action show.

Sure funny scenes occur but they only see a suppressed smile of amusement or the occasional snort. Never laughter not even once.

Age 3...little Shuichi can speak straight. No baby talk nor the 'baby accent'. Her husband remarked that their son watched them all his life and followed example because he had never been around children in his life. The people around him talked like adults and he must have picked that up. He speaks with great maturity and wisdom, and is respectful to his family.

The grandparents' response? Take him to the park to play with other toddlers.

He never played with the other kids. Rather, he was rather unhappy to be there and looked at the other kids in disdain and disapproval. Unlike him, the others were clumsy, drooling, fussed at every little thing, etc. He was the only one who was well-behaved...and not happy to be at the playground. Apparently, he'd rather stay home and watch TV than be around loud kids who whined at the smallest things it baffled and annoyed him at the same time.

That was the only complaint he made in his childhood. He's a baby but he _disapproved of **baby behavior**_. The Tamakusas and Minaminos were like, _what the heck?_

They went to the Psychiatrist for Shuichi's un-child-like behavior. The counselor asked to try to talk to the toddler. After two hours with the kid, they were playing Shogi...with the Psychiatrist _losing_. And it was all on tape too since a camera was set up. When the video played, Shuichi had a very adult conversation with the Dr. who was baffled at how he sees things in life, and preferred doing things adults can do rather than baby stuff. Then in came various IQ tests. Result? IQ over 300. Their son, is a frigging genius.

But the life of a genius, however great, is a lonely path and Shiori was 50% happy, 50% unhappy about it. Happy was because he can breeze through school thus career prospects in the future are very bright. However, the unhappy part was because her son preferred doing things alone and had a rather lonely future and she was upset about the latter. Youhei tried to fix things by bringing home toys but Shuichi ignored the toys as if they didn't exist. He tried Joystick(what came before nintendo and playstation) and Shuichi preferred computer games over toys! At age 4, he was in Kindergarten. Finally, they figured out that he likes challenging things than what was easy.

Like his family and psychiatrist, his teachers were astonished and baffled with him and his un-childish behavior.

Age 6 when Shiori won a trip to England...Shuichi had done the most unlikely incredible thing.

Unlike she and her husband who slept soundly, only he was the one who heard of the abandoned infant at the doorstep of the cottage they were staying in and he babysat the whole night...and was so taken by the baby that he wanted her in the family and even named her himself. And he is possessive of her and unlike any child he was with, it was only to little Inori that he was patient, understanding, caring and Inori was the only baby he smiled at and showed genuine affections to and played with her. Even scarier? Most adults thought the name Inori meant 'prayer' when Shuichi gave her that name. But he wrote in kanji his idea of 'Inori' and jaws dropped. So did relatives when Youhei and Shiori told them what went on in their English Trip.

The adults wondered why it's only Inori he showed his feelings to. Was it because of poor Inori's circumstance that he felt she should be loved to make her forget her terrible beginning in the Minamino's lives? When cousins come over to play, they saw another side in Shuichi. When boys who are older brothers themselves come to try to play with little Inori and take her to play with their younger siblings, the attempts stopped before they could even start. Why?

Shuichi held an expression no child should ever have. A menacing, threatening 'back off or else' glare. Of course, being children, they wouldn't know such a stare, so Shuichi merely took Inori away from his cousins and shut themselves in one of the guest rooms where he stayed there with his adoptive little sister. He only allowed his parents and grandparents to hold Inori but when its everyone else, he puts his foot down. Cue freak-out from his aunts and uncles. Sure he's polite and mature but when it came to his little sister, you have to overcome that scary stare first. And since the parents worked, sure the children stayed with their grandparents, but it was Shuichi who took care of Inori personally. Unlike Shuichi, Inori was your typical, normal baby. And when she was five, wasn't it only natural that she is very close to her brother who practically raised her most of her life? And it seems with great patience, Inori doesn't do baby-talk either, but unlike her smart brother, she was of course, naïve and innocent and had a lot of questions about her world.

Questions the family answered patiently. Unlike Shuichi, Inori was a very cheerful, happy child whose feelings is like an open book, in contrast to her brother's tightly-shut clam shell. She made little fuss as Shuichi knows what to do before she cries. Many relatives and family friends wondered about Shuichi's incredibly incredible behavior and not even his own family held answers.

When Shuichi started Grade School, he was reluctant to be away from his sister even though it's only the grandparents who would be babysitting the little girl. Within the Semester, they had a son who brought home perfect grades, who was faultlessly polite, soft-spoken, who showed absolute calm, a son who was capable, independent, and mature beyond his years. A perfect son that the neighborhood parents envied the Minaminos for having... and yet, little did they know that the Minaminos themselves sometimes envied the neighbors.

If the neighbors envy them for having a perfect son, the Minaminos were envious of their normal children. If only they knew what it's like having a genius in the family! There were times they wished that good older brother aside, Shuichi would be for a change, a boy who disobeyed, who had tantrums, who argued, who got in fights with other children, a son who laughed joyfully at little things. That and he would be a normal brother to boot. Shuichi was fiercely overprotective and wouldn't let a boy near his sister. He was possessive and only Inori had the luxury of getting to see his much-kinder, playful side.

He once growled and looked ready to strike when his older cousin Ryuji wanted to get to know Inori and his mother who was Shiori's eldest sister wisely pulled him away. She knew a hopeless case if she saw one and she'd rather not see a bruise on her son's face right on Inori's birthday party. Shiori was shocked when she heard that from her sister.

Years went by, Shuichi continued to be the perfect model student. Good looks and polite manners aside, his peers could not compete with him in grades, athletic ability and was popular in school. And his female classmates fought for his attention, completely smitten with his pretty face. And of course, he's more than eager to go home to be with Inori. His little sister was his world where around her, he was a normal boy and big brother.

When he was ten and Inori six...

Youhei was unusually late in going home when normally, they come home at the same time. But he is now...two hours late. Then the phone rang.

'That must be tousan.' Shiori mused. 'I wonder if something happened at work.' she stood up to answer the phone. 'Hai, Minamino Residence.' she greeted but after a minute...she dropped the phone and fainted from horror and shock that her husband died by car accident and was DOA. When she regained consciousness, Shuichi handled everything. Notification of relatives, and having some neighbors take them to the hospital because the taxi company wouldn't take him seriously in his annoyance. And he had to explain to Inori why their father will never come home ever again.

When Inori is still an innocent child, he told her that their father went to a special place where there's a blue sky and a field of flowers taken care of by angels where good people go to and someday, they'll follow. The Tamakusa and Minamino adults were there by the Morgue, grieving.

'Oniichan, you told me that papa went to a place with flowers and angels, but why is he sleeping over there?' Inori asked Shuichi while pointing at the stretcher bed where their father was. 'And why is everyone crying? You said we'll go there someday, but papa just went earlier.'

'It's because it's a long trip there.' Shuichi told his little sister gently. 'He's tired and he'll sleep it off. And why everyone is crying is because of the nasty hospital smell, that's all.'

'Oh...then why can't we go together there? We're good people right? You said good people go to the beautiful gardens tended by angels under a clear blue sky.' Inori asked him again. 'We'll go to where papa is soon? We always go together on trips, right?' the adults...and the doctors were horrified by the innocent question as the little girl has no idea what death is for now...and Shuichi was apparently determined to keep her innocent. She thinks their father went on a trip!

'Someday when our turn comes we'll go there but now is not the time. Papa will have to wait for us for a while because we can't go there anytime soon. For now, we stay here.'

'Oh...'

In the Funeral for their father, Shuichi tried his best from keeping his sister away from the Funeral and the gloomy atmosphere at the same time, making sure she(Shiori) was alright. He helped with the chores after asking the grandparents to keep Inori away from the casket and altar as he didn't want to break her heart and see her cry if the truth instinctively dawned on her that their father will never go home ever again. Someday she'll know the truth, but preferably, not now.

Inori's birthday was also a sad one. No party that year, but Shuichi kept her distracted. As usual while making sure all is well in their home. He also took on gardening and had a knack for planting and growing beautiful, brightly-colored flowers. He buys plants from the florist with his allowance and plants them in their yard. But somehow, they turn out to be way better in his care.

A month after Youhei's funeral, Shiori tried her best for her children, even if her husband left behind a huge insurance money, ensuring she receives it all. She put the funds in a bank as a back-up if things go wrong in her job and she never spent a cent of it since. One day, Shuichi came to the kitchen for a styrofoam container for a makeshift plant pot. But the stool wobbled while he struggled in pulling it out that he wound up causing plates to fall and shatter around him before he himself, fell.

'NO!' Shiori cried as she dove to catch him. Her flesh ripped because of the shards. Even moreso when her son's weight caused the digging to get deeper and she gasped. 'A-are you OK?' she winced weakly at the pain as her son got off her and when he did, she sat up, cradling her injured, bloody arms with pieces of china still stuck in.

'M-mother?' Shiori saw her son stare at her in shock, disbelief and horror. As if he could not believe that she just saved him from a nasty fall. But why? He was so detached and indifferent to injuries...even to death even if he protected his sister from both, so what made her different? Why is he shocked that she protected him? Isn't it natural for a parent to protect their child? But somehow, her self-reliant son was having a hard time comprehending what just happened.

'I'll be fine dear, nothing some bandages can't fix.' said Shiori with a pained smile.

'We'll need to have those kind of injuries stitched at the hospital...' said Shuichi shakily, and for the first time, he lost his cool. Not in anger but out of shock as he was shaking. 'I'll get the aid kit before I make that phone call.'

'It's OK son, I'll do it. You just call...' said Shiori quickly when Inori came in.

'Mama, what's that?' Inori asked their mother innocently as she had never seen a bleeding wound in her life before. Bruises and scrapes from playing yes, but never a bleeding wound.

'O-oh it's nothing! Just a little boo-boo, that's all.' said Shiori quickly while looking quite pale and clammy from the pain.

'Oh, I see!' Inori chimed as she put her tiny hands forward and on their mother's arms, 'Boo-boo go away!' she chirped in a sing-song voice. She and her son could not help but laugh weakly...but sheepish, weak amusement soon turned into astonishment when the wound started to close, and the blood vanished. Her wound healed as if it didn't exist. 'Boo-boo gone now!' she cheered with blood still on her hands.

Two jaws dropped.

Shiori stared incredulously at her stepdaughter who apparently, had no idea what she just did. Inori just did the same thing she did in a bid to stop her from crying from a scrape some weeks back...but this definitely did not happen in her case! And last she checked, superpowers don't exist but apparently, it does now.

'Er Shu-chan? I think we need to talk...' their mother croaked out weakly. 'Nori-chan, did you know what you just did?'

'Un! I made boo-boo really go away!' Inori beamed happily. 'It's really cool!'

'Er mother, I think we need to include Inori in the talk.' Shuichi deadpanned. 'She clearly has some power...and imagine what the government will do if they get wind of this.' Shiori paled as scenes from movies about experimentation came to mind which will no doubt, be reality if they cannot keep Inori's secret. Looks like disciplining Inori comes next before she attends Grade One!

So she and her son talked on what to do and it appears Shuichi was more knowledgeable of the Paranormal than she did. Since when was he a Paranormal Encyclopedia? But for now, since Inori can't be trained and educated at home due to risk of being seen by neighbors, Shiori did her own investigation in finding a psychic teacher who could help Inori and teach her about proper use of her ability. That and to keep Inori from getting lonely, Shuichi was willing to be behind a year to watch over her.

Shiori had heard of Genkai. A famous psychic some people knew and people go to her if they want paranormal help and she lived outside Tokyo, in the province and her home is extremely isolated from society. She discussed this with her son who agreed that it's for the best, and they came up with a really good excuse as to why they'll be gone for a year, before meeting the woman.

'So this is Inori-chan, your daughter? Genkai asked Shiori who nodded. 'You mentioned she has healing powers...'

'Yes but Inori is still a child who can't tell fantasy from reality...and within the year, she has to know what will happen if people get wind she has powers.' the young mother shuddered. 'I don't want her taken from my family! Please train her! My son will stay with her as well so she won't be lonely.'

'You sure about that it's just your girl who needs it?' said Genkai wryly and Shiori looked puzzled. 'Try as you may to suppress it, you're six decades too early to fool me, boy. But nice try.' she snorted as Shiori saw the expression on her son's face. It was of 'deer caught in headlights'. She was shocked that her son also has powers, and he did a much better job at hiding it.

'Honey?'

'...sorry mother, but...I also have my own.' Shuichi sighed. 'It's just controlling plants anyway, no harm done about that.' Shiori blinked before sighing. TWO of her children have powers. Yikes. Her daughter who heals and her son is a supernatural gardener.

'Well, each person is unique and their power is related often times to what they do best.' said Genkai. 'Looks like I have two kids to work on. I'll be charging typical elementary school fees for these kids. I do have a house to keep running.' so Shiori left her children in Genkai's care, visiting on the fourth sunday of every month to check on their progress...

And on the seventh month, when she talked to Genkai...

'Shiori-san, there's something about your son.' said Genkai while having tea.

'What about my son?' Shiori asked her. Genkai may be another baffled adult about her son and she's long used to it but there's no harm in being polite and understanding.

'Watch your son closely in the future.' said Genkai. 'I have seen families in my life, but I've never seen a big brother in love with younger stepsisters.' she said in amusement.' Shiori blinked before shaking her head.

'Nah, no way, that can't be...he's just overprotective and possessive, that's all!'

'Hey, I've been there, done that and I know what I see.' Genkai deadpanned. 'The affections he shows Inori are different from brother to sister.' she explained. 'Watch closely when my time with them is over. And prepare yourself because your son is truly in love with his sister. Since they're stepsiblings, there's no problem about that.'

'B-but how can that be?' Shiori choked. 'Shuichi is ten and Inori, six! I think they're too young to understand love.'

'Yes. Inori may be innocently unaware of the true nature of her brother's affections, but Shuichi definitely knows what he's doing and knows what he feels.' said Genkai. 'His hugs are different. The way he touches her is different. All that's left is kissing.' she said to Shiori's disbelief. 'But that may change years from now.' baffled and shocked, this may explain his unusual possessiveness and affections over his sister. But does that mean that he fell since she's a _baby_? What on earth is going on?

So Shiori watched her children from afar when her son thinks she isn't looking.

Indeed...there it is as the years go by. When Inori joined school, the same school Shuichi went to...she soon gets wind in a PTA about her son's troubling behavior when Inori is concerned.

Shuichi wears an expression teachers never dreamed in seeing in the usually polite, well-mannered boy who's nice to everyone. He is said to wear a terribly frightening, menacing glare at any boy who goes near Inori during break times with an equally scary atmosphere about him. Inori is otherwise, an OK girl even if she gets high grades, but nowhere near her straight-100s brother. She was along 85-96. They eat lunch together on the roof, and Shuichi only allows girls near his sister but Shuichi instilled great fear in boys who dares go near his territory.

The math teacher called Shuichi a 'yanderekko'. He is obsessive of his sister that he spooks away boys to the point of trauma with just his 'killer medusa' stare alone. And at home, she took to observing her son.

As much as she wants to deny it...

Indeed, it was...

There.

Shiori wondered how to break this out to family.


	5. Life Together

Life Together

In the Minamino Household...life was pretty much simple.

They were a happy family of three. Mother, son and daughter.

Shiori took to watching her unusual children. The only thing they have in common, were that they both have special powers. One thing not in common is their racial heritage and Shuichi's romantic affections for his sister and said sister remained unaware until she's ten years old and that's when puberty kicked in. It was at adolescent age that girls would learn how to fall in and out of love, so maybe she might notice her brother's feelings, and...

**SHRIEK! MOTHER! I'M BLEEDING! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!**

And then there's _that_. Shuichi ran to the shut bathroom. 'Inori?!' Shiori looked amused and exasperated at the same time.

'Shu-chan, it's her turn.' Shiori explained patiently with a shaky smile of amusement. 'She's a growing girl after all.'

'Her turn in what?!' Shuichi sputtered while still worried for his sister in the bathroom.

'Er I'll explain later after I clean her up and calm her down, but can you buy me a regular tampon? The shop would know what it is and buy your sister a small pack. About 6-9 grams.' And he got handed 150 yen for the errand.

xxx

Youko Kurama wondered what his human mother meant by 'cleaning up and calming down' his sister when he bought a pack of tampons, whatever heck they are. Upon returning home, Shiori quickly took it and went to the bathroom and ten minutes later, a distraught sister came out.

'You two sit down with me in the couch.' Shiori instructed as when they did so, she explained what menarche and menstruation is and what role it plays in a girl and woman's life. She explained it in the simplest terms she could...after using an illustrative anatomy book for help that she bought when Inori was nine because menstruation starts at adolescence, with the earliest being ten. But to Kurama, he learned another new thing.

To youkai, youkai never undergo this. They have what they call 'heat' when a submissive male or female lets out sexual pheromones that signal that s/he's ready to be taken for mating and it's at this period where one night of loving easily conceives children. Youkai never go through this...3-5 days of bleeding when fertility days are over like humans do. Shiori noted that Inori will be emotionally confused and at times, she'll be irritated. She admitted she was the same when she first experienced it and wanted to deny menstruation ever existed and how unpleasant it was, until two years later.

So his sister will smell like blood for a while every month.

Just great. Looks like he'll have to encourage her to take her training seriously as blood attracts demons.

xxx

Indeed, Inori was unhappy and sulking...and she was unhappy at being a girl today. 'Why do I have to be a girl? I wish I was a boy! Boys probably never have to deal with this!'

'Ohohoho! Boys have problems too, Nori-chan. Don't worry, we're not alone in growing pains.' Shiori giggled reassuringly and Kurama made a face. There's this too when he started having...er...wet shorts in the night when he dreams of himself in his true form, ravishing his adult sister. His dreams of having her in his arms without any boundaries in life, and they would be together for eternity...and when he wakes up, there's a sticky feeling between his legs. Ouch.

In times he and Inori sleeps together, Inori thinks he couldn't hold in his wee and she would giggle. That was when she was eight. But now that she's grown so big, their mother had Inori sleep in her own much-forgotten room as her brother's bed is too small for them both now. And Kurama knew their mother knew how he sees his sister, as she once sat with him in private and had a long talk with him regarding what she noticed. She was OK with it but she wondered when did it start.

She fainted when he said 'since he saw her'. And she had never heard of 'love at first sight' with an infant!

Kurama wondered how she'll react if she and Inori gets wind of his true nature. He's not exactly...human.

xxx

'Nee niisan...what do you think of that guy?' Inori mused as Kurama picked her up from school after club. Kurama was in the Chemistry Club and Inori in the Gymnastics Club. So they have the same dismissal time of 5:30.

'You mean Hatanaka-san?'

'Un. Is it OK for mother to date again? What about father?' Inori wondered aloud gloomily.

'Mother still loves father but you can never control your heart if you fall in love again.' said Kurama. 'Mother must have told relatives that she's dating again so nobody's complaining about it.'

'So who's this guy? She told you?'

'Yes...Hatanaka Kazuya. He's a budding businessman in his own company that manufactures computer electronics.' said Kurama. 'He's also a widower and a 12-year-old son. If they hit it off, we'll have a stepbrother soon. And since our house is fit for three people, we may have to move out if they ever marry.'

'Then what happens to our house if that ever happens?' Inori frowned. She didn't like the idea of leaving the home she grew up in all her life just for convenience's sake. 'We've been in there all our lives...'

'...I suppose it'll go to father's family,' said Kurama softly, noting his sister's feelings about the prospect. 'They'll take care of it.'

'...I don't mind mother dating again but I wish she dated a really single guy. I don't like moving out.' Inori complained. 'I like where we are now.'

'One way or another we'll have to...because it's a man's duty to provide for a family and a house is included in that expectation. He'll be frowned upon if he moves into our house...his wife's house. That means to society that he can't even provide a home. That's why in the near future, we may have to move. And our house is really fit for only four people...us. And we'll soon be five. Family planning at its toughest.'

Inori sighed.

xxx

On the other hand...

Shiori was seeing her new boyfriend Hatanaka Kazuya after work. Now, they were discussing their children after several months about themselves.

'I have one son and a stepdaughter.' said Shiori. 'Shuichi would be fifteen soon and Inori a would-be ten-year-old girl.' she said. 'Her birthday is on the day we adopted her, at Halloween.'

'How did that happen, Shiori-san?' Kazuya asked her with an astonished, bewildered expression.

'It happened on the third day of our English Tour in England...we settled down in Godric's Hollow in West Country, in a cottage since it'd be dark soon...so we rented it for the night. Next thing Youhei and I knew, Shuichi has baby Inori, spoonfeeding her milk. He woke up in the middle of the night, hearing a baby's cry since his room was near the windows at the time. He looked after her all night, fell for the baby and named her on the spot. We didn't know what to think and do back then but Shuichi clearly cares...so we adopted Inori. And he's downright overprotective and possessive of her outside the house, and won't let a boy near her, not even his own cousins. Inside our house, he's a good model older brother...and since we both worked, Shu-chan practically raised Inori himself even if they're being babysat by our parents. School hampered that though but at least with our parents, Shuichi has no worry about a boy near his sister.' she chuckled.

'Then there's things I hear in school when Inori started Grade One...because she's foreign and cute, a lot of kids wanted to befriend her but here comes Shuichi...the teachers who saw said he wore a very un-child-like threateningly killer 'back-off-or-else' medusa stare at the boys who meeped and backed off. And when Inori came home crying because some kids teased her about her birthday...the kids soon could not look at my children after two days, and feared the Minamino name! Makes me wonder what my son did...so does everyone else for that matter. When the kids were asked by parents and teachers, they looked like they saw their worst fears in life. I got called for a PTA because of it, and their Math teacher called my son an obsessive yanderekko.' she shuddered. Kazuya sweatdropped. What is he getting into? 'No doubt with your son, he'll be at it again...and I soon found out why.'

'Why?'

'This is a very unusual case...even my parents and in-laws agreed with me on this one.' Shiori sighed. 'Shuichi is head over heels in love with his stepsister.' Kazuya's jaws dropped. 'And that's since Inori's a baby.' Shiori swore his jaws would unhinge soon. 'A teacher noted that upon noticing his 'unusual affections' on her. And she knew what she saw. Even Shu-chan admitted he's in love. But since Inori is a Minamino only in name and not blood, everyone's OK with it and they've known Inori all her life. And with Shu-chan's dedication, we're on a wait-and-see basis. As for Inori, she's blissfully unaware of her stepbrother's feelings because she has yet to emotionally mature. She adores her brother like a little sister would since it was mostly Shuichi who raised her...'

'Personality-wise, both are total opposites of each other.' Shiori continued. 'Inori is a cheerful, positively outgoing social girl who is very close to her brother. She has lots of friends in school...although they're all girls and not a boy in that group. The boys feared Shuichi absolutely.' she sweatdropped. 'Like her brother, she's popular for her looks, high grades and athletics although she's no straight-100. She was along 85-96 in various subjects. As for my son, he is...a genius. A lot of parents envied me but they had no idea how I envy _them_.' she said wryly. 'They have no idea what its like.' she told her boyfriend about her son starting at birth...

She left out the fact that her children are 'special'. 'Whoa...I don't know what to say...' Kazuya croaked. He could not believe such a child could exist yet his girlfriend has such a kid.

'So what about your son?' at this, Kazuya twitched.

'He happens to have the same name as your boy.'

'Eh?!' They're in for confusing years...

xxx

One day, Hatanaka invited the Minaminos to his house that he inherited from his parents. It was a spacious house fit for seven people with colors that made the house look very clean, and loads of glass windows. His former wife wanted a lot of children and the other rooms are guest rooms but she died when Shuichi was five from illness. Thus they have a helluva lot of guest rooms. But to Kurama's dismay, bare gardens as he was shooting the yard quite a disapproving glare.

Hatanaka Shuichi was warned about his new siblings by his father, particularly his new older brother. He was a normal boy in every way. Looks, manners and personality but even he knew when to back off when his new older brother marked his territory immediately around his new sister. Indeed, his new sister is foreign cute...and innocently naïve and adorable. She was the first to befriend him but considering the glare and stare he's getting, he drew a safe line so the older Shuichi won't scare the be-jabbers out of him. The parents were on a look-see basis and while the older Shuichi helped with the chores, he was subtly sending mental daggers at the younger Shuichi but when it's just them boys, he was nice and polite. But around the sister, his own son asked, 'Is this for real?' when he saw elder Shuichi...kiss his sister on the lips when they thought no one was looking.

'It's for real.'

Hatanaka Kazuya knew he's in for an interesting life. Sure he loves his girlfriend but is he ready for...this?

xxx

'So what do you kids think of Kazuya-san?' Shiori asked her children upon getting home.

'Humm...he's kinda jumpy. Ne, niichan?' Inori giggled with a glance at her brother. 'Very nervous too. It's not as if we'd bite or anything, nee?'

'Yes, he is very awkward. The kids get along just fine, really...he thinks we're bombs the way he looks at us.' Kurama noted with mischief in his eyes.

"YOU'RE the bomb." Shiori thought wryly with a sweatdrop. She saw the way he looked at Shuichi Jr. whenever he got too close to Inori beyond personal space. 'Ma, I'm glad you kids are getting along OK...we were really worried because Kazuya-san and I are both widowers...and in re-marrying cases, children hardly accept each other it's a miracle everyone gets along. No parent gets this luxury.'

'Heee...but mother, you really should see that coming...I mean, look at us!' Inori pointed out, pointing at herself and Kurama. 'Niichan is your kid and I'm the stepkid and we get along fabulously! And Jr.-niichan seems like a nice guy so we get along just fine.'

Shiori walked into that one, she admits. Unlike the Jr., her son and stepdaughter were long used to the idea. And when the days passed by, things were normal...until she suddenly fell very ill. Inori tried to heal her but it's no wound...it's a critical illness in her organs that even with surgery, she has little chance of recovery and their mother got confined to the hospital.

'Niichan, what do we do...my power is of no help.' Inori lamented. 'We lost father and now mother will leave us too? What will happen then?' she choked out tearfully on the hospital roof.

'It will be...just us.' said Kurama softly. And how he wished that was so, but Inori still needs a parent in her life. 'But as much as we can manage on our own, somehow, we'll end up in someone's custody. Probably our grandparents. I'll find a way around this, Inori. For now, keep mother alive until then until I find something.'

'OK...so you'll be looking for supernatural means for her?'

'Pretty much. Modern medicine is of no use to us.' he said before hugging her. 'I'll find a way. I promise.' and Kurama vanished.

'Does something like that really exist, I wonder.' Inori muttered with a sigh. Super-powered humans is one thing, but magic items? Now isn't this stretching things a bit too far now eh?

xxx

'So that's what Shuichi decided?' Shiori asked Inori as they were alone in the room.

'Yeah but can we find such a miracle item? Or does he even know of one?' Inori wondered aloud while holding Shiori's hand to keep her life force and body strong with her powers.

'Well, crazy things happen so I'm not surprised magic items actually do exist.' Shiori giggled. 'But we need one heck of a believable excuse to everyone.'

'Sou ne...we're becoming really good liars, neh?'

xxx

Kurama went home to hide...in order to force his soul to leave his body and become an astral projection. Because you can only go to Reikai as a soul. He has a specific item in mind and the only item to do it. And to pay the price, he and his sister must share the price.

As long as it's him who dies first and not her. At least he can be reborn anytime. But if Inori dies, he'll have to wait for many centuries AGAIN for her! No way in hell. He had gone to Reikai, only to see a familiar face.

'Hiei?' Kurama blinked. 'What're you doing here?'

'That's what I'd like to ask you.' Hiei snorted. The two thieves and killers met three years ago and today was the third time they saw the other. 'But considering that it's you, you want something.'

'Nice guess.' said Kurama softly. 'But I'll be returning it after I'm done anyway.' Hiei looked gobsmacked.

'You, return things you stole?' he asked with a bewildered expression. And this is Youko-frigging-Kurama he's talking about here!

'Hey, people change.' Kurama shrugged. 'Well, whatever we'll steal, we'd best get on with it.' they agreed with each other on that part, attacking and knocking out ogres in their wake to get into Reikai Vaults and steal one item. Hiei wanted the Shadow Sword and Kurama took the Mirror of Forlorn Hope. Unlike Hiei, he left an IOU.

Said IOU, Koenma saw later that was practically vandalized into the walls by carving with something sharp.

_Koenma,_

_I'll be borrowing the mirror for the sake of my sister._  
_You'll have it back...as soon as I die, considering the_  
_price it charges in exchange for what we want._

_-Kurama_

Koenma at least knew who one of the thieves are...and he looked into loads of records to look for Hiei's identity.


	6. Reikai Tantei

Reikai Tantei

Reikai...

Koenma searched down the records of the two thieves, Kurama and Hiei in Reikai Records. He searched Kurama first since the thief was kind enough to leave an interesting IOU.

Kurama...there's only one being in history who has that name. It was easy to find. Dangerously beautiful S-Class thief in his past life, possessed an unborn human woman's infant son before a pure soul could enter it in order to reincarnate and became her son and grew up to be a so-called genius that baffled and perplexed his human host family, even moreso when he stole his future mate away from her family and fed everyone a lie that she was abandoned so he could finally be with his mate after centuries of waiting. He loved and cared for her because he finally found his mate after centuries of waiting, and would rather die first than she does. At least he could be anyone in a blink. Her? Who knows who she'll be centuries from now if she dies and it'll be a long wait again! His whole world is his mate and he'll do pretty much anything rather than endure centuries of loneliness again.

He so far, did crimes of thievery and only kills if chased. Light Punishment. A lot of youkai pursue thievery as a career anyway. Then he steals his mate from his family and caused them grief no doubt. Despite moral cons, it doesn't warrant Reikai Law Punishments but he sure will get hell from her if she gets wind what her brother just did, considering she believed she's abandoned all her life, and still has raw feelings about it so that's punishment and resentment from _her_, and she'll leave him in anger and look for her parents no doubt. And now he stole an artifact from Reikai Vaults to heal their mother knowing he'll die from using it because she still needed a mother. Koenma wasn't sure how to feel about that to be honest.

As for where said sister is concerned, she was originally from a family of magicians in England, a half-blood born to a pureblood father, and a gifted human mother lucky to have magic. In her short life of three months, she was stolen by Kurama from her family upon curiosity and fate led him to her and recognized the bond of their souls as lifelong mates. He had his family adopt her and he renamed Lucille Potter into Inori. He named her himself. A name that had two meanings. Prayer-he prayed for a long time that he would find his mate and here she is. Advantages of a Mortal Life- due to short lives, humans work hard to make their lives meaningful while beings like them with longevity who has all the time in the world get bored and lonely quickly. Inori grew up a happy, innocent and naive girl, but during a year and then some holiday lessons with Genkai, she is starting to broaden her horizons and is starting to suspect her brother's affections...with a little nudge from Genkai with well-placed suggestions and words. And due to her mate bond, she too, was starting but slow, to fall for her stepbrother.

Well, that's while she figures out what her heart says since Kurama kept her too innocent about the world.

An incident occurred in childhood that led to their mother discovering her children were 'special' and in fear that Inori would be discovered had she trained at home, Minamino Shiori sought Genkai to train and discipline her daughter for a year to keep her safe while she learns...and Genkai outed Kurama's power since she could sense it no matter how he tried to hide, shocking their mother so she offered to train Kurama as well. But Genkai didn't know what he did to Inori yet she's aware of Kurama's not-so-brotherly love for his stepsister...that she outed to their baffled mother who couldn't believe it until she saw with her two eyes...and worked the courage to tell her in-laws. Well, since Inori isn't blood-related, it's OK to the relatives...and it's up to Inori who's blissfully unaware of her brother's feelings.

Inori has great talent in healing, and she preferred using her powers to augment her raw strength and speed than doing flashy moves, even if she knew some. She visits Genkai every holidays for training except on family holidays as to not worry her brother. That and she can handle herself.

And so, about Hiei...his origins are what led him to what he is today. A half-blood child from Hyouga, sentenced to death right after his birth by Hyouga Elders just for being a boy and he vowed revenge. He grew strong while raised by a band of thieves and became a killer at a very young age, quickly becoming an A-class. A prodigy. But he could not find Hyouga, so he sought Shigure, the Youkai Surgeon to implant the Jagan on him at the cost of the power he gained, and his life's story. He found Hyouga and discovered that his mother committed suicide out of grief of losing her son, and her friend, the one who tossed him out raised Yukina, his twin sister. After learning Yukina left Hyouga to find him, Hiei went looking. His means were just as pragmatic as Kurama. He found her and watched over her but when she went missing from places she frequented to play with birds, he turned every rock for her but she somehow 'disappeared'. He swore bloody murder on who or what took her and he WILL kill them all. The kidnapper, who's involved and who knows.

Kurama and Hiei met three years ago when Hiei mistook him for being the minion of a youkai named Yatsude, a youkai who gets stronger the more he eats. He came to Kurama's neighborhood upon finding his hideout as he heard that he ate a Koorime. Kurama fought him until he cleared the misunderstanding, brought the injured youkai home for Inori to heal them both, and got quite a scolding from the seven year old enough to cow the hybrid. Who could retort to an angry, cute face of a little sister? The two thieves proceeded to fight Yatsude with two goals...to get him off Kurama's turf and for Hiei to determine which koorime he ate. Yatsude ate a koorime woman, not child, so Yukina was safe.

And three years later, these two met again...only this time, they robbed his vaults today! Hiei took the Shadow Sword to make an army of minions to help his search and Kurama took the mirror to save his mother, fully-aware of the price. During the years, Kurama learned what 'guilt' is. And his idea of remorse is the mirror. Just peachy.

He would have to get Yusuke, his new detective on the case. Hiei will be tricky but at least, Kurama is chat-able.

The key is his little sister.

xxx

Sarayashiki Jr. High Rooftop...

'So Yusuke, this is your next case. These three.' said Botan, Ferry Girl and Assistant to the new Reikai Tantei, Urameshi Yusuke.

This young man is anything but model student. He is short-tempered, impulsive, brash, reckless, cocky, truant, delinquent student with no respect for adults whatsoever, unless they made an impression on him. He has zero interest in school and only does enough to barely pass and that's it. He also loves to fight and like any delinquent, his enemies are delinquents of other schools, and he happens to be a 'genius brawler' as nobody could beat him, even if they gang up on him with weapons and what-have-yous. However, he has his sense of morals and if one got through to his 'public image', he is actually an honorable person with a sense of right and wrong...what's his idea of right and wrong at least, and he learned best from his nearly-non-existent upbringing. This delinquent became a Reikai Tantei when he died saving a boy from a car accident...only, he died for nothing.

The car would've swerved away in time to avoid hitting the child with no casualty whatsoever. However, with Yusuke's impulsiveness, not only did he get killed, he also caused a bruise on the child that should not be there, and caused a car accident...thankfully, the driver and his girl didn't die but would have to pay a hefty sum to get the car fixed, and try to stay out of prison due to the accident that killed him. And there's no room for Yusuke in the afterlife so he was offered a chance to live if he does good deeds.

The catch after that?

He became a Reikai Tantei.

'What about these guys and a child?' Yusuke blinked as he scratched his head.

'The boys stole an artifact apiece from Reikai.' said Botan. 'First up is Hiei. He is on a search for his missing twin sister Yukina who disappeared for ten years and uses pragmatic means to find her. He recently stole the Koma no Ken, hoping to use it to create minions to help him in his search and kill whoever kidnapped his sister and his associates. And a scratch from the Koma no Ken will cause anything to turn into a demon, and the antidote to Demonification is in the hilt of the sword so we better hurry.'

'Next is Kurama but his human identity is Minamino Shuichi. He's originally a youkai named Youko Kurama who died fifteen years ago, getting killed by a Hunter. His soul fled to ningenkai and possessed the unborn child of his mother and became her son. He stole the Mirror of Forlorn Hope in hopes of using it on the Full Moon to heal his critically-ill human mother for the sake of his stepsister who still needs a mother unlike him. But the price of using it is his life. His excuse was he can reincarnate anytime anyway. He is acquaintances with Hiei, having met him three years ago.'

'Third is the sister, Minamino Inori.' said Botan. 'She attends Murasame Elementary School. She is Kurama's stepsister. While on a trip to England with his family, Inori-chan was abandoned on the doorstep of their cottage. Kurama found her and instantly grew fond of her, named her himself and had his parents adopt her. Since both parents worked, Kurama practically raised her himself, even while babysat by grandparents, so she is emotionally close to him. Inori-chan will help you get a chance to talk to Kurama and she has no idea of his identity, so use Kurama's alias around her. Right now she's about to go to Gymnastics Club, so we better hurry because Kurama always comes to school to take her home but now, their destination would be the hospital. We need to ask Inori-chan for assistance to get a chance to talk to Kurama peacefully.'

'Peacefully?' Yusuke sputtered incredulously.

'We~ll...according to records, Kurama is fiercely overprotective of Inori-chan that he glares at anyone and anything that's male and just one scary stare keeps boys away. He once traumatized two boys in Inori's class for getting 'too friendly' and they feared the Minamino name for months now. Any boy who goes near is scared by him.' Botan chuckled. 'He once attended Murasama and their teachers called him a yanderekko in a PTC.' Yusuke howled in laughter. 'You're laughing now but if Kurama sees you near his sister, he'll definitely traumatize you for sure. Your fifteen years is nothing to his 5000 years of life you know.' Yusuke stopped laughing in an instant and gasped.

'5000?!'

'Yep, he lived that long.' said Botan. 'We need Inori-chan to get to Kurama and we need Kurama to get to Hiei. Let's chop-chop!'

xxx

Murasame Elementary...

Inori changed into her leotard, tights and in the locker room and took out her ribbon apparatus and tied her long hair into a well-secure loopy hairdo. She then went to the gym when outside, there's an older boy and girl in a kimono but...something was different about these two.

'You Minamino Inori?' the guy asked her.

'Yes...what is it?' Inori asked them.

'Er can you secure us a meeting with your brother?' the guy asked Inori kindly. 'We really, REALLY need to talk to him.'

'Humm...what does a guy and a ghost want with oniichan anyway?' Inori asked them curiously as the two people blanched. 'I can see you wearing a pink kimono you know.' she said wryly while looking at the sheepish ghost.

'Aiya...she can see me.' the girl said sheepishly. 'We're here on business...and we heard about your brother's reputation so we're going to him instead of having you take us, but we don't know where...'

'Oniichan goes to Meiou High School. That school is fond of the color pink.' Inori chuckled. 'Poor boys who have to wear pink...' the boy snorted.

'I pity him already...pink isn't exactly a manly color.' he said. 'Thanks for the tip Inori-chan!' and they left.

'Wonder what's going on...' Inori frowned before going to club. A boy and a ghost...really now?

xxx

Meiou High School...

Yusuke practically stalked Kurama and waited until school let out.

'For a 5000 year old youkai, he's seriously in the Chemistry Club?' Yusuke choked weakly in disbelief. 'I thought he'd be some Kaito or the next Lupin or something just for kicks but Chemistry Club?! That's a club for geeks!'

'People change and get weirder in time Yusuke.' said Botan. 'We wait this out then.' she said as they watched through the window...until club was over by 5:30. Yusuke thought this stalking mission SUCKED. But when it was school out, FINALLY! Kurama went out and Yusuke pitied the youkai for wearing pink. He has red hair as it is! He came out of hiding and his appearance freaked out nearby students who knew of his reputation.

'It's Urameshi!'

'Who's dumb enough in our school to pick a fight with this guy?'

'They said he just trashed six gangs by himself!'

'Yo, Minamino.' Yusuke greeted with a grin that caused a lot of horrified gasps. Perfect Minamino and this guy?! 'Your sister was kind enough to give me directions, considering your 'pleasing personality' towards anyone with the symbol of mars near her I can't hang around for long and we really need to talk and the topic is a need-not-to-know for these chumps.'

'I'm glad you know me so well, having done your homework.' Kurama smiled but he was emitting a scary, malicious aura that freaked out his schoolmates who never dreamed he could be this scary. Even Yusuke found himself shivering despite the grin on his face. 'So where do we talk?'

'Some place your stalkers don't need to know. C'mon, let's run!' and they ran for it, leaving several people with jaws dropping.

Perfect Minamino and the Perfect Delinquent on speaking terms...

'Is the world ending soon?' one girl squeaked out.

xxx

In a park somewhere...

'So you said you want to talk to me.' said Kurama as they're quite alone.

'Yep. I'm here on business.' said Yusuke before frowning. 'You sure the Mirror is the only way out?' Kurama knew this guy was no ordinary guy. 'I'm the new Tantei hired by Koenma. I'm here for you and Hiei regarding the stuff you stole and whys but are you really sure about this, man?'

'Yes, I'm sure. There's no other way and time is something my family doesn't have.' said Kurama. 'You can have it back after I die.' he said in casual resignation.

'I heard your mother's critically-ill but with your death, your mother and your sister will definitely cry. You sure you want that?' Yusuke asked him with a sigh. 'When I saw my mother cry at my funeral, I decided to go back to the living since she really DOES care. I died last week by car accident but Koenma brought me back since it ain't my time yet.' he explained. 'Your mom knows about your and your sister's powers and if she gets wind of this, she'll curse herself forever for being the cause of your death, and li'l Inori-chan would be without you. You sure you want the two most important ladies in your life heartbroken if they get wind what you did?'

'What's with this guilt trip?!' Kurama frowned with his resolve slowly weakening upon getting bombarded by a guilty conscience. 'I know perfectly well what will happen and I prepared myself!'

'I'm sayin' that you shouldn't die. There's a way out.' said Yusuke. 'That mirror takes a life in exchange for one wish right? How about we give half each to create one 'life'?' he suggested. 'That way, no one has to die and you still get what you want. Then I'll be takin' the mirror back to pacifier breath. I'm makin' this offer because I sure as hell don't want to see another mother cryin' over their dead kid. It's bad enough with me in my funeral.'

'I don't know what to say.' Kurama sighed. 'But I made up my mind. I'm sure you got informed well...'

'Yeah, so let's get on with it.' said Yusuke.

'Er I need the full moon for this wish.' Kurama pointed out. 'It's when the mirror is at its strongest. Mother's illness is THAT bad. It's just Inori keeping her alive.'

'Ah, the Life Support's worth shit then?'

'...yes.'

'Ouch.' Yusuke winced.


	7. The Blessing of Death

The Blessing of Death

Hospital Room...

'Inori, how are you feeling?' Shiori asked her daughter. Inori is the only one who can keep her alive now because the Life Support can no longer do much else. Her children are bent on defying fate with their powers. Inori linked her life to hers to keep her alive, while her son went out in search of a miracle cure by supernatural means. Shiori didn't know what to feel. It should be her who's caring for her children, not the other way around and they refused to budge. For three days, Inori planned on skipping school...until one night, she felt it.

xxx

3 days later...on the full moon...

Kurama and Yusuke met up on the rooftop. But there's something Yusuke noticed about the redhead.

He felt several times stronger than before. 'Kurama? What'd you just do? You feel several times stronger.' Yusuke remarked with wide eyes.

'Oh, I removed the limiter I put on my powers for this occasion.' said Kurama. 'My sister and I wore limiters so youkai wouldn't feel our existence and we can lead peaceful lives. We don't want trouble in the form of 'pests'.' he said wryly as he gave Yusuke an address. 'Here, out of kindness.' he said. 'Koenma sure is pretty harsh, sending an untrained detective at two youkai. You should be lucky I'm nice but nice isn't in Hiei's vocabulary.' Yusuke sputtered indignantly but even he knew when to drop it.

Kurama's freaking strong.

'And this address is...?'

'The person who trained and sealed us. You could seriously use her help. Seriously.' Kurama shook his head in bemusement. 'I told her that I'm sending a newborn at her and she's expecting you soon or she'll come and drag you by ear.'

'No kidding?!' they waited for the clouds to disperse for the full moon to shine.

This is it.

Kurama put the mirror on the ground with it facing the moon, effectively reflecting it. Kurama then knelt on one knee with Yusuke mirroring him. They placed their hands above the mirror. 'This is it...' said Kurama as he placed the mirror on the concrete floor. 'It's now or never. Oh dark mirror, accept the moonlight and awaken! Reveal thy strength that will reflect my wish!' The mirror glowed to show his mother's smiling face.

**The happiness of this woman...is this your desire?** the mirror asked him.

'Yes!'

**Is this really your wish? For someone else's happiness?** The mirror sounded disbelieving at this point.

'It's for her and my sister's sake. I don't care what happens to me afterwards.' Kurama chuckled. 'My sister still needs a mother.'

**Very well! I shall do as you say and grant you your wish.** and the mirror begun sucking Kurama's life force little by little...and rather painfully. 'Aaarrgh!'

'And take this while you're at it!' Yusuke cried as he pitched in with the two boys pitching in their life force. However, a third power came. 'Who's this?!'

'Inori!' Kurama cried. 'Stop! We'll be the ones to do it! Just focus on mother!'

**What does it look like I'm doing? We lost father, we can't lose mother too! We were powerless last time but not this time! We can do something!** her voice echoed in their minds.

**...two people aiming for the same wish and the third one doesn't want another death...I shall grant your wish. **said the mirror as it returned to them their power. **Due to my nature, a lot of greedy people will want to use me for their selfish wishes, so I built my reputation to keep selfish bastards away by really taking lives per selfish wish. I hardly meet people like you so I really feel sorry for this world.** the mirror shone brightly, blinding Kurama and Yusuke with its light.

xxx

In the hospital room...

Shiori underwent another check-up, but...

'Shiori-san, you must be one tough fighter.' the doctor smiled. 'We have nothing to worry about anymore. You'll make a full recovery.'

"We did it!" Inori thought in relief as she got her power back from the mirror.

'But you'll be staying a week longer just to be double-sure. You also need to inform family that you'll be making a good recovery.'

xxx

At the streets near their home...

'Well, Hatanaka-san and Jr. will be watching over kaasan for now.' said Kurama as the siblings went home.

'Oniichan, what's with the wishing mirror?' Inori asked Kurama on the way back. 'It said something about _taking lives_...' she growled with a fierce glare at Kurama who meeped nervously. '_Explain_.'

'Erm ah...w-well you see, it's like this...' Kurama stammered out weakly and he knew he had to run, when she materialized and solidified a giant metal flyswatter...

xxx

'Unbelievable.' Koenma chuckled in amusement as he, Botan and George watched Kurama being chased by his angry sister holding a giant metal flyswatter, and dodging the whacking with perfect timing. 'Youko Kurama, a reportedly coldhearted, cruel, merciless, cunning thief running away from a ten year old with a flyswatter.'

'Well, he asked for it.' said George. 'Sometimes big secrets never stay secret for long. His mother and sister didn't know that the Mirror of Forlorn Hope takes lives per wish...but we had no idea that it only does that to keep selfish beings away, but it gives free selfless wishes. That detail we definitely never knew about since Enma-sama got the item.'

'Well, we better keep the truth about the Mirror a secret and everyone will be happier that way. Mirror included.' said Koenma. 'Indeed, there's a lot of selfish people in the world...and it had to take love, kindness, devotion and loyalty to turn a person into selflessly working for the good of people they care for. Now if only Yusuke can find Hiei...'

xxx

The next day, Koenma personally appeared before Kurama on his school rooftop. 'Oh? What warrants the Prince of Reikai to visit me?' Kurama wondered aloud with an amused smile on his face.

'I am here to hire you to help Yusuke find Hiei.' said Koenma. 'Granted, you stole the Mirror but you gave it back after using it for a good purpose so your punishment is this assistance. Yusuke is still a newbie and a little...rough.'

'So says the one who sent said rough ore to someone like myself?' Kurama retorted with an amused snort.

'Hey, I didn't have a choice, we're understaffed!' Koenma said in an indignant huff. 'And we had to slowly work our way through! Once you've done this, you are clear of your current crimes. If you refuse, a worser punishment will be heaped on you.'

'What, centuries in a cell or execution?'

'Worse..._telling your sister the truth of ten years ago_.' Kurama froze. That, he'll never, EVER do! 'Reikai has records of every living being in ningenkai, reikai and makai. The minute you are born, a Life Diary appears in our library about the individual as they live their lives. I know all about you and your bride Lucille-chan, whom you stole from her parents. They are still actively looking for her to this day, never giving up as in Gringotts Bank of Goblins, it is clear that she, the family heiress is alive and healthy but location unknown.' said Koenma sternly. 'Big secrets never stay secret for long...because fate works. It was fate that you discovered your mate that night through curiosity because you subconsciously reacted to the bond you feel which you mistook for curiosity. And it was by fate that you rashly stole her and lied to her and your parents just so you can be close to her after centuries of waiting and longing. Someday, fate will be at work again. Nobody, not even we of Reikai is free from fate. Remember that.' and he vanished.

'Great, I'm blackmailed.' Kurama swore stiffly in annoyance. He had done measures to keep Inori by his side. He had stolen her, and raised her so her heart will be close to him. And never look at another male other than him. He did everything just to have her by his side, not at another man's...

xxx

Koenma looked at Lucille Potter's Records in Reikai.

The girl is from an ancient family of purebloods, thus highly-respected in her society even if her mother is a human and she a half-blood. She is also heiress to a great fortune, and an Artifact of Death that her father currently owns...the Invisibility Cloak that keeps its wearer invisible from death. Literally. It was her father and godfather's key to success and their high hit-and-survival rate, and its power can only be used by its rightful heirs. She was touched by its power when her father played with her and the cloak, heiress aside so she gained a part of that power. She has the power to luckily avoid a brush with death, enabling her to die on her own terms, not by fate's hand and design a luxury no one ever has. On the other hand, nothing can kill her father, the current heir as long as he has the cloak and uses it on a daily basis.

But enough of that, Kurama has no idea how lucky he is. Nothing can kill Inori unless she herself wants to die. Then she would lose the bit of power she has from the family treasure and let Death take her. He wanted to rope her into the ranks but a pissed-off youkai would take his head...at least, he was kind enough to send Yusuke to Genkai after this case...

xxx

Kurama vanished for a week that worried the two women in his life, and came home with injuries, and went by window. 'Shuichi/oniichan!'

'What happened?!' Shiori choked frantically as she and Inori fussed over the redhead.

'Well, I had to do a little damage control, that's all.' said Kurama with a smile. 'I just got the job done.'

'You disappeared for a week and came home like this?!' Inori practically shrieked while healing his injuries. 'Oniichan, I don't want anymore death-brushes as it is!' she cried in dismay. 'Do you want me to whack you again?!'

'Er no dear...I'd rather sleep.'

Life went back to normal after that.

But a BIRD hypnotized to linking with Inori was keeping an eye on Kurama at the window of his class, and following him home from that day onwards. Everyday, the birds change...

xxx

When he got home however...he wasn't prepared for THIS. Inori was said to have gone home early and skipped club to get the handymen over in the house...

Inori was in her panties in his room, about to put her training bra on, fresh from the bath. 'W-wha?!' his jaws dropped. Temptation is THERE...despite the lack of breasts, Inori's slender body is shapely sculpted from years of Genkai's training and gymnastics that proper muscle development gave her, her tempting shape and height...as she is a head taller than her peers.

'Oh, sorry oniichan but there's something wrong with the AC in my room and repairmen are over.' said Inori sheepishly before going to comb her hair on the bed. 'So until they give the green light, can I stay in here? Kaasan will be home soon...'

'Sure.' Kurama smiled. He settled down to get changed. He's not the only one getting a peep. He also has been physically training to gain some muscle and stamina...he turned on the radio in his room and in a loud volume, ensuring it's loud enough for the men next door. And when he took off his clothes, it revealed a slender, yet well-chiseled muscular physique that definitely had his sister staring 'Like what you see?' he said teasingly. Inori went beet red.

'W-what're you saying, baka-oniichan?!' Inori sputtered out with a squeak and turned away, blushing. She then felt those arms around her, making her gasp.

'I like what I'm seeing too.' Kurama whispered sensually behind her. He began gently biting her ear, using his tongue to gently caress the back of the outer shell teasingly. And by her flustered Reiki, she's clearly affected. He can start courtship now.

'Onii...chan...' Inori squeaked from his advances. 'T-this is...'

'I love you, Inori...I really love you...' Kurama told her lovingly, causing her eyes to pop. She loves him as a brother and here he is, having a different form of 'love' for her...she didn't know what to feel, while those big warm hands started roaming where they shouldn't and yet...she wanted it too. In her mind, this is wrong in all levels yet...why isn't she stopping him?

'I...oniichan I...' Inori croaked as Kurama pulled her against him that made her recline backwards, and fell prey to a deep kiss. It was no chaste kiss...this time, his tongue is in her mouth, caressing her from inside.

She closed her eyes and let him, while clumsily kissing back...which greatly pleased and encouraged him.

Step One done.

Courting comes next. He would woo her, now that he confirmed that she does have something for him. 'You love me back?'

'But oniichan...we're family...' Inori croaked out. 'This is weird!'

'We ARE family...if we get married someday. Mother isn't our only family you know.' Kurama smiled. 'Mother and our grandparents approved.'

'EHHH?!'


	8. Budding Love

Budding Love

Since that day, Inori was nervous...and extremely shy around her older brother who took every opportunity to tease her like a boyfriend would, and openly courting her at home.

Shiori watched her childrens' antics in amusement. "Yare yare...if only Youhei can see these two now..." she thought wryly. There are times that her son has to catch her off guard in a bid to corner and court her before she could run away. Well, his stepsister is still trying to understand her growing heart and romance after all, these things shouldn't be rushed as they live under the same roof! But still...its kinda cute to watch. On weekends, he takes her out on a date...

'So how are the kids?' Hatanaka asked his girlfriend while at work.

'Well...Inori's a growing girl...and I think Shu-chan's rushing into this too much. Its not like Inori will go away or anything.' Shiori deadpanned. 'We live under the same roof you know.' she snorted. 'How about Jr.? Is he taking self-defense classes? Shuichi and Inori are experts in martial arts streetfighting despite how they look. Well...Shuichi has lots of boys on his case for his looks, grades and the girls in school while Inori trains because simply he does.' she left out the fact that her children has powers to prevent jealousy issues...

'He's still deciding what to take.' Hatanaka chuckled. 'He wants what he can do the easiest.'

xxx

Three months went by...

Things at home got quite...the atmosphere.

After figuring her feelings out, Inori finally let her stepbrother court her, much to the redhead's delight.

Shiori chided her son for rushing things while Inori is still emotionally innocent, hence he was confusing her for months and she wants him to take it on Inori's pace so ahem, dates would go much smoother. He's so old beyond his years and Inori is the opposite. If only she knew the truth! Relatives phone call their mother, asking her about her...unusual case for kids and how's the developments because it took them quite a while to get used to the fact that their nephew is head over heels in love with their adoptive granddaughter/niece since she was a _baby_. They thought the family life was something out of a wacky soap or something.

That, and she also has to get used to seeing her kids kiss each other goodbye before going to school, and kiss each other in greeting when they get home. As for sleeping arrangements...they still share a bed, but Shiori will put her foot down once Inori's _thirteen_, a growing girl. And that both kids have single, not double beds. Inori's small in comparison to her taller, and very fit brother she fears he might squish her instead of a cuddle attempt and that got her son pouting.

Too late to use that look on her, it might have worked if he's five-to-ten. Grades aside, the kids also trained hard at home. But one day...her son dropped the bomb.

'Mother, Inori...' he said over dinner. 'I have...a troublesome situation.'

'If its you who's saying that, we may have to take it really seriously.' said Shiori with a slight frown. 'What about it sweetheart?'

'I got invited to a Tournament.' he said. 'A Tournament ran by Makai and Reikai, the Ankoku Bujutsukai. They form teams there and any youkai can join. But the committee will hand-pick a human-only team who are obliged to come or else they'll be put to death for refusing.' his mother and bride gasped at this. 'That's why...I have to go.'

'B-but why?! Why choose you and not some moron who actually wants to fight?!' Inori cried in protest.

'Because humans who have power levels of at least C-rank are picked. And I got detected. Luckily you somehow evaded detection, otherwise you'll be invited too.' said Kurama to his family's dismay. 'And I prefer it that way. Until I leave for the tournament, do NOT use your powers and stay sealed, OK?' Inori sulked at this.

'B-but you'll come home, right?' Shiori choked out. 'You'll win and come home?' Kurama smiled.

'Of course, I have family to come home to. And I have no worries about your safety as long as Inori is around.' he said with a bright smile. 'So no underhanded tricks will work on me over there. Inori is sufficient protection for the family.'

'Aiya, oniichan has so much confidence...' Inori beamed.

'I should have...we're both B-Class Fighters.' Kurama snorted. 'These weakling are just dirt on the ground where we stand.'

'But still, overconfidence is bad OK?' Shiori reminded her son. 'A smaller and even a weak person can beat a strong one by outsmarting them. Don't forget that. Never underestimate anybody until you're sure of your chances.'

'Yes mother.'

'Inori, help your brother prepare OK?' Shiori told her stepdaughter. 'We DO want him to come home alive...' she said with a sad, nervous smile. She lost her husband and her son may be next... 'A leave is in order. And just in time too because its summer after this.'

xxx

Genkai's Place...

'So oniichan, we'll have sensei train us again?' Inori asked Kurama as they jumped their way upstairs.

'Iya, sensei will be training Yusuke. I'll be training someone and you'll also train someone. An acquaintance of mine.' Kurama smiled. Up on the stairs...a tall er...ginger-haired boy with a pompadour hairstyle.

'Hey!' he greeted. 'So we're all here now!'

'Inori, this guy will be your student for two months.' Kurama introduced her. 'Kuwabara Kazuma. He's another unlucky guy just like me and Yusuke. He's barely a D-Class, so you have your work cut out.'

'Mou, gimme a little more credit than that.' Kuwabara pouted.

'Well, I leave you in Inori's hands.' said Kurama with a dark, sweet smile that got Kuwabara quivering. 'I'll go find my training buddy. He's here somewhere.' and he walked away. Inori sweatdropped as her brother-boyfriend instilled fear in her piggy.

Kuwabara quivered under that stare. When Toguro invited him and Yusuke on the streets. Kurama offered him training under his sister on the grounds that A) Inori and his mother does NOT know his case, so never call him Kurama around his family. B) Pull the moves on Inori, he WILL **_end_ **him.

Either way, he doesn't have to worry! Kuwabara has his beloved Yukina-san!

'Now then Kuwabara-san,' said Inori. 'Just because I'm 10 doesn't mean I'll go easy on you.' she said. 'Oniichan and I trained under sensei for a year and after that, we trained together at home for years so we're powerful. Now then, for our first step of training...hold out your hands. Sensei started us like this.' Kuwabara did so, and she placed an energy shackle on him that caused him to stand up straight with his arms and legs snapping together, making him straight as a rod but with his wrists bound together.

'Nanda kore?!' Kuwabara shrieked panickingly.

'Those shackles are limiters.' Inori told him. 'If you want to move, focus on your reiki and make it flow around your body like blood. By doing so, you drain your reiki at an incredible rate, thus sealing it. However, if you unseal yourself, your level will increase in leaps and bounds, as the shackles will release the reiki you've been spending back into your body, so you get stronger. Now at least learn how to move in two days in that.' Kuwabara's eyes popped out of their sockets.

'You gotta be kidding me?!'

'It helps if you learn how to move in a short time, that way we have more training time.' Inori quipped as she took out a manga and started reading. 'If you fail in two days, no food for a week!'

'USOOOOO!' that was the start of Kuwabara's hell. He didn't want to starve for a week, so he worked hard in meeting the deadline and figured things out on his own. In those two days, Inori taught him about Youkai and Strength Levels, as well as various types that she learned from Genkai and Kurama. Then after that...

'Niichan told me you have a sword made of reiki.' Inori remarked over breakfast. 'Show me.' she ordered.

'Here I go! Reiken!' Kuwabara cried as he summoned his sword. Inori frowned.

'Its very basic.' she deadpanned. 'Not to mention the flow is irregular! Strong in some spots and weak in other spots! Not to mention it has no form!' she chided. She conjured her own Reiken. Her Reiken is a kendo shinai. 'Your reiken must have condensed, tightly-packed reiki on all equal levels to be stable. Then you can form your reiken into any type of sword you're most comfortable in.' she advised. 'But before we work on your weapon...we'll work on your fighting reflexes, stamina, pain endurance and tolerance first. Meaning, I attack, you defend. I'll start slow but I'll gradually increase the pace and strength!'

With that enough said, Inori lunged and began raining fists and kicks on Kuwabara. The routine was attack-heal-attack-heal-rinse-and-repeat. For...28 days, this was done. Inori attacked on D-Class Levels for five days, C-Class for a week, B-Class the next two weeks. Kuwabara had considerable trouble in the last two weeks though.

'Yosh, endurance and stamina training over.' said Inori with a beaming smile over dinner as Kuwabara was busy shoving rice down his throat. 'Tomorrow, we'll work on your fighting ability OK?'

'Yeah!'

Next day...

Outside Genkai's house...

'We'll work on your weapon stability and sparring.' Inori continued. 'And also, you'll be sparring with me.' she conjured her two reiken shinai. 'So what do you want your weapons to look like?' the shinai vanished. 'Katana? Chokuto? Nodachi? Kodachi? Wakizashi?' she caused many types to appear on a whim. Kuwabara looked at the swords with a critical eye.

'Erm...I think I'll be more comfortable with the Chokuto.'

'Then focus on the Chokuto's form. Visualize and then materialize with your reiki, creating a Reiken Chokuto.' Inori instructed. 'I expect the weapon to be stable and very condensed, so nobody can break it that easily, as reforming a Chokuto spends energy and then its existence maintained by your will.' she explained. 'If you keep breaking and reforming your sword, you're wasting energy and you won't have enough for your next fights.' she told him. 'That's why we'll spar with the purpose of maintaining the durability of your sword every time you get attacked. This is now a true fight.' she said seriously. 'The goal for this month is instant conjuration of your swords, and maintaining their stability and durability even on high and strong pressure in battle.' she conjured...two pipes?

'Here I go.' and Inori lunged at him on her full level. She also taught him evasion maneuvers and speed moves by instructing him carefully.

25 days later...

'You are to use these last five days to recuperate and recover to be at full strength before you leave for the venue.' Inori instructed while healing Kuwabara. 'Don't forget everything I taught you!'

'Hey, when will I get unsealed?' Kuwabara asked her.

'When its the Final Round.' Inori answered. 'By unleashing your full level no one knew about in the Final Round, its also a good psychological attack as it will unbalance your opponent. Oniichan will tell you how to unseal yourself as we use the same Sealing Technique. And spirit weapons aren't just limited to swords...so while using these last five days to recover and recuperate, study books about weapons. It'll help more if you are versatile.'

'OK...well, I'm goin' home after a shower.' said Kuwabara as he got up and stretched. 'Thanks for these two months Nori-chan! With this I'm confident that I'll live.'

'Ma, studying is also training, so work hard in your last five days.' Inori smiled as she vanished like a ghost before his eyes.

xxx

Elsewhere in the forests...

'Oniichan.' Kurama turned around to see his sister. 'I'm done with Kuwabara-san. How about you?'

'Almost done.' Kurama smiled. 'Go on home ahead without me.' Inori vanished while Kurama looked back to Hiei who was out cold. 'Yare yare.'

xxx

At home...

'Okaeri.' Shiori welcomed her daughter home. 'Where's your brother?'

'Oniichan's still busy with his buddy.' said Inori. 'He said he'll be home later.'

'Ah souka, then I'll cook for three.' said Shiori with a beaming smile. 'And is his things ready for...' her smile fell. 'That tournament?' Inori also deflated. She didn't want him to go but its an 'or else'.

'I dunno...' she said sulkily. 'I hope he didn't forget to train himself or he'll be having an earful from _us_ tonight.' she swore. Sometime that night, Kurama went home.

'Shuichi!' their mother cried. 'How is your training?'

'I'm stronger than any of my teammates unfortunately.' Kurama sighed. 'Sensei is training one, I had Inori train the other and I trained the third. If we'll make it out of this, at least all of us must be good. Needless to say I had no time for myself.' Shiori's face fell. 'Don't worry kaasan...power and technique aren't the only things needed in fights.' he smiled reassuringly. 'My most dangerous weapon is my mind. No one can outsmart me.' Shiori smiled weakly.

'That's true...Inori is probably still awake dear.' she said. 'Go to her. Oyasumi.'

'Oyasumi, kaasan.' and Kurama went upstairs to see his sister sleeping on his bed. In a white top, panties and...socks. His eyes nearly popped out of its sockets. Its just...too erotic and moe at the same time...and does his sister know what she's doing by wearing those?! He swallowed as he got closer to his bed. But the minute he was within an arm's reach, he found himself instantly lying down on his bed just in his underwear and his sister straddling him. 'Inori?!' he gasped at his sister's bold, aggressive move.

'I just heard from mother that...you hardly did a thing for yourself in these two months?' Inori twitched with small crosshairs on her face.

'Maa maa...we're plenty powerful because we trained for five years, Inori. You don't need to worry about me.' he reassured her softly as he pulled her down to his body. 'I'm more worried for the guys with me because they're far weaker than me. If they all die, I'll be obliged to continue alone and I don't want that.'

'But all mother and I care about is whether you'll come home or not.' Inori grumbled with a sigh while snuggling against her brother. 'That's what's relevant.' Kurama chuckled and Inori could feel the movement of his warm chest as he laughed.

'Don't worry...I have two very good reasons to go home.' he said. 'I'm coming home for mother...and my bride.' Inori pushed herself up to meet her brother's gaze.

'Oniichan...you and I have been brother and sister for ten years...' she said softly. 'I'm still having trouble seeing you as a man who loves me 'that way' you know. But...'

'Hm?'

'Will you have me anyway?' she asked him in her same soft voice.

'I'll have you.' he said as Inori leaned down to kiss him. This time, on her own initiative, not his, which pleased him. He rolled over, putting her under him, deepening the kiss but she spread her legs and used said legs to keep him over her and wrapped her arms around him. "I waited for you for several millennia after all. I'm not letting you go." their kiss stopped and he was determined to mark her as his...and do much more than that.

Although there's one line he can't cross just yet, as she is too young...and too small for 'that'. But that doesn't mean other means of intimacy are off-limits...


End file.
